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Ukraine says Russia drone attack hits Chernobyl nuclear plant, radiation levels normal
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a Russian drone struck the destroyed nuclear power plant at Chernobyl on Thursday night.
Ukraine’s State Emergency Service later said that the radiation background limits remain within normal limits.
“A Russian attack drone with a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter protecting the world from radiation at the destroyed 4th power unit” at the plant, Zelensky said on X.
The concrete shelter that covers the unit was damaged, Zelensky added, and a fire was extinguished. “Radiation levels have not increased and are being constantly monitored. According to initial assessments, the damage to the shelter is significant,” Zelensky said.
Video posted by Zelensky on X showed a bright pulse of light emanate from a large structure, followed by a tower of smoke that billowed into the night sky.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said on X that shortly before 2 a.m. local time its team at the Chernobyl site “heard an explosion coming from the New Safe Confinement, which protects the remains of reactor 4 of the former Chernobyl NPP, causing a fire.”
“They were informed that a UAV [drone] had struck the NSC roof,” the IAEA added.
Unit 4 at Chernobyl – near Ukraine’s border with Belarus – exploded in 1986, sending extensive clouds of radioactivity across parts of the Soviet Union and Europe. It was later encased in a concrete and steel sarcophagus.
The sarcophagus was the work of an international coalition and took decades to build. It was finally finished in 2017 and weighs 35,000 tonnes
Altogether, on Thursday night, the Ukrainian military reported that Russia launched 133 drones at Ukraine, 73 of which were shot down and 58 of which did not reach their target. The numbers are broadly in line with the recent average of drone attacks. The military said drones were shot down in 11 regions, covering much of the country.
The incident came hours before the beginning of the high-level Munich Security Conference in Germany, where US Vice President JD Vance is set to meet with Zelensky. European leaders are reeling from President Donald Trump’s bombshell announcement that negotiations to end the Ukraine war will start “immediately” after he held a “highly productive” call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
Zelensky said in his post that the nightly drone attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure meant that Putin “is definitely not preparing for negotiations — he is preparing to continue deceiving the world.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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Ukraine blames Russia for drone attack on Chernobyl’s protective shell, Zelenskyy says damage ‘significant’
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An alleged drone struck the protective shell covering the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine early Friday, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pointing the finger at Russia.
The International Atomic Energy Agency reported on X that overnight Thursday, the IAEA team at the Chornobyl site heard an explosion coming from the New Safe Confinement.
The site protects the remains of the nuclear reactor that exploded in Chernobyl in 1986 and was reportedly set ablaze after an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) struck the NSC roof. Zelenskyy said initial assessments show “the damage to the shelter is significant.”
Zelenskyy took to X stating that the incident occurred when allegedly a “Russian attack drone with a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter.”
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Surveillance footage from his posts shows the moment the drone impacts the dome, causing an explosion.
“The shelter at the Chernobyl NPP was damaged by this drone. The fire has been extinguished. As of now, radiation levels have not increased and are being constantly monitored,” Zelenskyy added. “According to initial assessments, the damage to the shelter is significant.”
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While the incident is currently still under investigation, Zelenskyy claimed the alleged attack was the result of a terrorist threat.
“This shelter was built by Ukraine together with other countries of Europe and the world, together with America – all those committed to real security for humanity,” Zelenskyy said in his post. “The only country in the world that attacks such sites, occupies nuclear power plants, and wages war without any regard for the consequences is today’s Russia. This is a terrorist threat to the entire world. The shelter at the Chornobyl NPP was damaged by this drone.”
Russia has denied any involvement.
Teams assess the damage after what was said to be a drone struck the protective shell at the Chernobyl plant. (@ZelenskyyUa)
The IAEA said its fire safety personnel were able to respond in minutes and there was no indication of a breach in NSC’s inner containment.
The agency also reported that there were currently no casualties, but are monitoring the situation and radiation levels inside and outside remain normal and stable.
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The explosion comes as world leaders are meeting in Munich, Germany on Friday for the Munich Security Conference where the future of Ukraine and its ongoing war with Russia will be the top item on the agenda.
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